Kalimantan

Rio Tinto blasted on three continents

Down to Earth No 57 May 2003

The world's largest mining company, Rio Tinto, has faced severe criticism on human rights, the environment, health & safety and pay & conditions. The company's dismal record in Indonesia has been spotlighted in a new report by WALHI, published to coincide with the company's annual general meetings.

Rio Tinto's annual general meetings in London and Perth sparked co-ordinated protest actions in Indonesia, Australia and Britain.

Forests Update

Down to Earth No 57 May 2003

The minister of forestry, Mohammad Prakosa, has revoked the licenses of two plywood manufacturers - PT Wana Rimba Kencana in East Kalimantan and PT Benua Indah in West Kalimantan - following inspection by the Revitalisation of Forestry Sector Industries Task Force - a new ministry watchdog. The forestry minister also refused to extend the logging licences of 13 companies, but would not release their names.

Villagers and PT PLN in Riam Kanan dam dispute

Down to Earth No 56 February 2003

Local people in South Kalimantan whose land was taken for a dam project over thirty years ago, threatened to cut electricity supplies if the state electricity company continued to deny them proper compensation.

Shortly after December's Idul Fitri Islamic festival, tension built up at the site of the Riam Kanan dam, South Kalimantan, when local people threatened to close down the hydroelectric power plant on 1st January.

South Kalimantan pulp plant to go ahead despite protests

Down to Earth No 56 February 2003

Dutch and Indonesian campaigners succeeded in persuading Akzo Nobel to cancel its plans to invest in a new pulp plant in South Kalimantan in January, three months after Indonesia's forestry minister withdrew the feeder plantation's licence. But a state-owned Chinese company has stepped in with a deal to fund 80% of the costs.

Akzo Nobel signed an agreement with Singaporean construction company Poh Lian in 2001 to build the plant which makes the bleaching agents for pulp processing.

Women suffer worst impacts of mining - cases from Indonesia

Down to Earth No 56 February 2003

The severely damaging impacts of mining on women have been highlighted in a new report, launched by Oxfam Community Aid Abroad on November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Oxfam Community Aid's report, Tunnel Vision: Women, Mining and Communities, is a compilation of papers presented at a forum convened in Melbourne in June last year to explore the impacts of mining on women in local communities.

Rio Tinto: practise what you preach!

Down to Earth No 56 February 2003

The efforts of UK-based mining company Rio Tinto to convince the world of its commitment to human rights have suffered another blow. According to media reports, in December, the family of human rights defender and poet Wiji Thukul rejected a human rights award funded by the company. For the past two years, Rio Tinto has contributed funds to the Yap Thiam Hien Human Rights Award, won this year by Wiji Thukul, who has been missing since 1996.

In Brief... DTE 56 - February 2003

Down to Earth No 56 February 2003

NGO to sue Singapore over sand imports

The Institute of Indonesian Forestry Studies, an organisation based in Riau province, is planning to charge Singapore with destroying the marine environment and mangrove forests as well as causing the disappearance of an island in Karimun subdistrict. The Institute's director, Andreas Herykahurifan, said the Riau administration must also bear responsibility because it had issued licences to sand-dredging companies.